Covelo felon arrested with assault rifle

A Covelo felon was arrested on March 28 with an illegally modified assault rifle, ammunition and baggies of methamphetamine, according to police reports. He was out on bail on charges of recklessly evading a peace officer on March 14.

Luis John Oliver, 27, of Covelo, was spotted by a deputy on S. Airport Road in Covelo at 8 p.m. on March 28. Oliver yelled something to the deputy and the deputy approached Oliver's car. As the deputy approached he noticed Oliver was furtively hiding something next to his leg. The deputy asked Oliver whether he had a gun and Oliver confirmed that he did, according to reports.

Deputies recovered a loaded Ruger Mini-14 .223 modified assault weapon near the driver's seat and several small baggies of methamphetamine in Oliver's pants pocket.

Oliver was out on bail for recklessly evading a police officer two weeks before.

He was booked on no-bail status for violating his post community release status, committing offences while out on bail, possession of methamphetamine and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

Post community release is a recent program which has essentially replaced parole for many felons enacted as part of the California-wide prison realignment legislation.